Sunday, January 1, 2012

It's 4:16 AM on this brand new day of 2012. Sporadic crackling of firecrackers. Two or three houses away, people singing off-key over a microphone have probably decided to stop their revelry welcoming the New Year. A few moments of silence, except their low voices. Then, a rooster crows from the yard of a neighbor. Tartaraok ti kawitan iti kaarruba.

New Year's resolutions include a stop to playing tong-it and mahjong. If perchance, the addiction is there, will play at least an hour or so. Playing chess. Will write a novel, poetry and short stories. Join Palanca writing contests with aim to snag the major prize.

Let me wait for the Mutia. Give me a line or two and start the busy writing year including body building through push-ups and other methods. May join a marathon. Something is wrong with my breathing whenever I go jogging, even after only a barely kilometer run.

So where are you, Mutia?

Saturday, December 31, last day of 2011

Not much to do, but play tong=it and mahjong including chess, where i won P40 supposedly but for bad arithmetic on the part of the opponent. Did I win? Definitely, but I lost time. It's a gray day.

It's almost five in the afternoon. Anib-Israel called from the hospital where he is on duty at the moment--12pm in California, complaining of the drinking activity of Jonathan. What can I do. If I scold him, tumangsit met daytoy nga anak nga inauna nga awan sa metten ti nagyan iti ulona no di la agbarbartek. I admit I failed, we failed to raise him properly. Ngem kunada met nga adda latta black sheep in the family, any family. That's not true. In our case. Still I pray that in the New Year, he will reform.
It's 6:05 pm, and drizzling. Sound of motorbike outside, the rider probably buying liempo or lechon manok at the store in front of the house in Oscariz. Just received text message of Gene Sumaoang, inquiring what am i doing. He and Sonny are in one place. Wished them Happy New Year, a few hours from now. Gene's wife Lina died several years ago. When I was in Laoag and he was in my hideaway he said there are no more challenges in life wished he were dead. He is now in his 70s like me. I have reasons to continue on living. I have to interpret the world and write that elusive novel.

Journal of Dec. 26, Monday

Still a gray, rain-threatening day. The news--more bodies found in Cagayan De Oro, who perished in the rampaging flood waters. Body count has risen to 1, 1200. They are still looking for bodies; officials said they would be terminating the search after three days.
Sad Christmas day for the victims in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. The flash floods have been blamed on illegal and legal logging. Most of the dead were migrants who built their houses in sandbars and along waterways.

In Santiago, for Christoffer's checkup at Callang Medical Center on his headache which has bothered him for the past four days. A Dr. Butuyan gave him a prescription for P300 consultation. Mama and I saw him off at Mabini for his trip to Tuguegarao. His wedding with Tintin Baui will be in Tuguegarao on the 28th of this month.

Mart 1, for slack to match barong tagalog, but no size 32. Purchased a camisa de chino (Small size). I was looking for medium but saleslady said S is big (for Filipinos, the brand is Walker) and red slippers costing more than P300 for both.

Left Mama in Santiago, who would be purchasing another pant and coloring dye.

The passenger van on which I rode passed by a group of people gathering around a man on the ground, crumpled, with his motor cycle nearby. Did he lose control or was he bumped by an oncoming vehicle? Accidents in which people died have been a regular occurrence in that area of Burgos village, two kilometers away from Oscariz.

Photo captions: shots in Singapore with Baby Jasmine Julian, daughter of Rene Rafael Julian.

CHRISTMAS DAY, DEC 25

What a way to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord! Rain in the morning, and then gray, windy and cold the whole day, at least as of 3:35 pm.

Kenneth Dizo, whose mother Nemia died of cancer, and his family--wife, son Juan Claro--came to the house toward lunchtime. But they did not eat anything because, they said, they have just eaten something in a house they dropped by on their way to Oscariz. They live in Pagrang-ayan. They left at past 1:00 pm.

It's now 6:11 pm. At the bahay kubo in front of the house, Jonathan and the boys, including Sherwin, the late Boy Co's son, are still at it-- drinking San Mig Lights while seeing a feature movie on Jon's laptop screen.

On this occasion, joy and gladness should reign in the heart, but where is this joy, this gladness? I don't feel anything. It's just and ordinary day.

Sounds from downstairs. Joe chopping either liempo, sisig or lechon manok on the chopping block. Yesterday they sold 101 or 104 pieces of the stuff.

Later in the night, Raul and his boys arrived with a half case of San Mig Lights and Red Horse including pulotan of insarabasab and grilled bangus. Picture- taking.

More buyers of lechon manok, liempo and sisig, not necessarily in that order, as the night moved slowly and voices diminished in tone and came sporadically.

THEY ARE NOT SEPARATE--YOUR WORDS AND YOUR LIFE

Saan aya koma nga agkadua, saan nga agsina, dagiti balikasmo ken ti biagmo?

Saan aya koma nga agkabbalay dagitoy a kas agassawa iti agnanayon a lubong ti kallaysa? 

Ngem uray dagiti mannurat, saan nga agpada ti saoda iti biagda.

Giving credit to a professional graphic artist from Laoag City: Milton Pablo

Ti Torre iti uneg ti ili ti Bacarra, Ilocos Norte. Disenio ni MP a kalaingan a graphic artist ti timpuyog

   Akkub ti magasin a disenio ni MP

From a great mind:

"I do not say a proverb is amiss when aptly and reasonably applied, but to the forever discharging them, right or wrong, hit or miss, renders conversation insipid and vulgar."--Miguel de Cervantes

MOVING OUT

WINCHESTER, CA--The Filipino couple has given up the house on Summer Grape Court after moving into it in 2008 when they relocated from Amarillo, Texas in late 2006. The monthly amortizations were eating our incomes, says the husband, a nurse, like his Pangasinan-born wife. They belong to one of the highest paid professions in America, but most of their earnings went into taxes and the amortizations ($4,000 per month).

With the worldwide economic meltdown hitting the USA two or three years ago, their house which was purchased for more than $450,000 suddenly went down in value to more than half the original price. And they were paying the same monthly remittance to the bank! They were not alone, of course, in that situation as more than a million homeowners across the USA have also put their homes either on the auction block or have these dwelling foreclosed or repossessed by the bank. In their case, their house was sold (short sale) which was better than foreclosed with respect to their credit score--they could buy a house again after 15 months.

The house in Menifee is much smaller than that of Winchester, so they have to downsize with respect to the furniture. Some furniture and other household items have remained unopened since the transfer because it was difficult to find their proper places. A sofa--it had cost them $3,000--was given free to a relative in the Los Angeles area. Another sofa and a dining table are outside the house, exposed to the elements like the rains now falling steadily.

There is a phenomenon in America; companies building small homes for sale and multi-families living together in 4-bedroom houses and 2-car garages. Some Americans are building their own homes, no more than a kalapaw by Philippine standards. Of course, these structures have all the amenities of a modern American home minus some appliances.




Photo caption: The 2-story 4 bedroom house on Summer Grape Court (bottom, right)and the house in Menefee(top, right, which is also 2-storey, but smaller.. The furniture in the front sala of the house in Summer Grape Court, where I used to do my emails and writing with my laptop.

BRUNO'S MURDER

Thelma, my niece who was married to Bruno Kohn, called from Sweden last night, inquiring about the case of her husband who was murdered in Laoag on the night of October 26, 2004. Bruno was shot with a caliber pistol by an unidentified gunman, who was with him and two others, one a female, in his owner-type jeep. Then 62 years of age, he was a Swedish national of German origin.

Bruno had an Ilocana girlfriend from Batac--I have seen her, brown maiden with two or three missing upper teeth-- who worked in a videoke bar owned by Odette Santos, the suspected mastermind of the killing. The bar, located at the ground floor of the old brick Cordon building, is still operating at the corner of Panganiban street, popularly known as Lansangan during my young years, where the processions of the Roman Catholic church used to pass during Lent.

Jo Ann, a friend of her sister Leticia who filed the complained has called Thelma by phone, telling her she wanted the case to be revived. She asked for money and Thelma has given her P10,000 as initial payment to work on the case. The case has been archived at the Laoag City court, and our lawyer, a certain Caridad, former regional state prosecutor based in San Fernando city has died. Told her I would be going to Laoag one of these days to consult with my cousin, former provincial board member Alma Blanco, who had caused to be filed charges against the suspects.

More than seven years have passed since the murder was committed. Can the case be revived? Thelma, the daughter of my brother Ciriaco, was reluctant then to send money for the follow-up of the case.

Postscript: As of this writing, July 22, 2015, the case is still archived and the killers are still free doing their thing in Laoag. My cousin Alma is suffering from hypertension and is no longer active physically, staying in her room most of the time.And Thelma has moved on in Sweden, acquiring a Swedish boyfriend as old, if not younger, than Bruno.

TINTIN KEN CHRISTOFFER

Rainy day. News about residents in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro being swept to the sea during a storm (Sendong) and continuous rains, killing more than 600.
Christine and Christoffer (just realized the common origin of their names) in Oscariz to attend birthday celebration of a friend. Or is it the friend's child, Monday.
The usual ritual. Mahjong and ton-it. Lost some money. Maybe the last time to gamble, not only money but my time. I should be writing more. About many things. Something, for one, about the analytical mind that causes, sometimes, disaster.

AKSIDENTe

Nadungpar kano iti traysikel ni Baket Nenita a nanang ni Matchie. Naggapu kano iti simbaan. Indardaras ni Raul iti maysa nga hospital idiay Cauayan. Sapay koma ta saan a napakaruan. Narigat ti madesgrasia aglalo no baket ken lakaykan. Nasuroken a 70 ti abalayanko.

She and Lakay Mauricio were walking home together from a morning mass, when the tricycle hit Baket Nenita as they separated when they came to a watery portion of the road. It was a hit-and-run thing. It was still dark when the accident happened.

She suffered several broken teeth, lacerations

Photo caption: Baket Nenita and her husband Mauricio in the garden of their home, with Raul and his family and Paolo Julian.

NARGAAY TI BANTAY

Pangngaldaw idi dumanonkami iti paset ti Pasaleng, Pagudpud, Nargaay (kano) ti bantay iti masanguanan ket nagaburan ti dalan nga agpa-Isabela. Kuna ti draiber ti GMW a nagluganak idiay Laoag (nagrubbuat ti bus iti 8:30 AM), a bareng matarimaanda ti kalsada agingga iti alas kuatro iti malem. Ngem awan met gayam dagiti DPWH personnel nga agtartrabaho, nupay kunada a nagturong dita dagiti kameng ti DPWH. Adda dagiti nagsubli a minibus nga agpa-Claveria. That gave me the clue that we would be staying in the area overnight without any clear indications that the road would be opened.

I decided to go back to Laoag and take the Carmen, Rosales, Pangasinan route to Isabela. Tomorrow, December 18, would be TMIF Christmas party and TMIF Board Meeting at the Cabatuan Municipal Hall. Members from La Union and Nueva Vizcaya will come. I took the 1:00 AM Cubao-bound Partas bus that delayed/ for some reason or another, its departure by at least 30 minutes. We arrived in Villasis almost 9 and the Victory Liner bus bound for Roxas arrived past 10:00. By the time we arrived in Santiago, the TMIF meeting has ended and the NV and LU groups have already left for their respective provinces. I was late for probably 30 minutes.

It was a bad two days--Dec 17-18. But it is already past, I consoled myself. Tomorrow is another day.

SIMBANG GABI IN LAOAG

This is a misnomer because the mass is not held at night, but early in the morning, at three. Cocoy and Joshua woke up early to go with Auntie Freda to the Laoag Cathedral. I decided not to go.

Tomorrow is Friday, Dec. 16. I have to go to Isabela on Saturday for the Christmas program and TMIF BOD meeting on Sunday in Cabatuan.

I will be sending via LBC the Julian-Baui wedding invitation to Dr. Boyet at the Central Luzon State University.

stranded in tuguegarao on way to laoag, dec 14

STRANDED IN TUGUEGARAO

Unable to catch the morning GMW bus to Laoag at the Cabatuan junction. Was a few minutes late. Waited for a Tuguegarao-bound Nelbusco which came at least thirty minutes later. We arrived in Tuguegarao past 11.00am--all the busses to Ilocos have already left. A bus here is at the station and will only leave for Laoag at 2 pm. Decided to take the bus. It is now 1: 07 pm.

What should I do in the interim? Upload picture; vendors selling giant eels along the national highway in Oscariz.

Arrived in Laoag past 10 pm. Ate dinner at a restaurant in Pasaleng, Pagudpud. Ligaya not at home; she is on training and comes home weekends

HOME FOR THEIR WEDDING

Christoffer, the youngest of his eight brothers, and his bride Christine June "Tintin" Baui arrived this month from Singapore and Canada, respectively, for their wedding on Dec. 28 in Tuguegarao. Christoffer turned 31 last Dec. 8. At his age, he is oldest of the Julian siblings to be married.

The couple will tie the knot at the Ermita de Piedra de San Jacinto church along Mabini street in Tuguegarao starting at two in the afternoon and reception will be held at the Las Palmas de San Jose at the San Jose Village.

HONESTY AND INTEGRITY

By what they say and do, it appears that Chief Justice Renato Corona and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo lack the honesty and integrity of the truly public servants. They have rode in tandem and killed the public trust.

She made a mess of herself, she made a mess of her presidency, she made a mess of the Filipino people. She created the murderers Ampatuans, the unreconstructed liars--Romulo Neri and Benjamin Abalos.

Photo captions: in front of a dress shop in Temecula and houses across the street from our former house in Winchester.

CAMPAIGN SIGNATURE

Continuing the campaign to obtain signatures of Ramon members of Isabela Electric Cooperative for Iselco's conversion into a CDA-registered cooperative. So far, I have obtained 54 signatures out of 300. The deadline is December 12.

Once registered with CDA, expect consumers to pay lower electric bills because the value added tax of 12 percent and other charges will be scrapped.

Despite Iselco's loses in millions--they could not collect the alleged million-peso electric bills respectively of the city governments of Cauayan and Santiago, Isabela- Iselco board members reward themselves fat bonuses.

This is a project of a Multi-Sectoral Committee on Electric Cooperative Conversion. Deadline of submission: this Friday

IMPUNITY, PHILIPPINE STYLE

Impunity is an ugly word. It is as ugly and terrible and murderous like Philippine politicians associated with it. Prominent among them are the Ampatuans of the infamous Maguindanao massacre, and their creator, Gloria, who headed the the most corrupt administration in the country's history.

But what exactly is the meaning of the word that has evoked so much contempt?

Webster's dictionary defines impunity as "exemption from punishment, penalty, or harm." A synonym is immunity which is exemption from criminal prosecution or exemption from obligation imposed on others. Or a grant as witness in exchange for self-incrimination testimony. This is how people in a criminal act come under the witness protection program.

Yes, it is applied to politicians and their ilk including followers and kin who show no respect for the law and do whatever they wish to do in violation of the law, knowing they can get away with it. Even if they are hailed before the courts, the means for them to escape punishment is always there--money to pay off judges, lawyers and witnesses.

SUDDENLY, IT IS EVENING

Suddenly, It Is Evening*

the room is widethis morning as wide
as your pain somewhere
in a corner
of remembered remembering
where were you when the seawas bereft of broken beer bottlesand crumpled tin cans?
last night the rainbow jukebox blared your song while the smoke-filled bar echoed with drunken laughter and your epilogue of wasted years

it should have been this way-- no, no, no-- it could have been that waythe sun lingering on the glass panes has now climbed the rooftops: remembering is a perfect blade as sharp as the edge of morning.

time for you is a dry leaf on a hot windless day yet ricebirds must cry as the pulse of life beats in the shuffle of many feet on the stage where the drama was played.you remember the innocence of youth in the old hometown and, suddenly, it is evening.

*Nairaman iti expanded version nga antolohia dagiti dandaniw nga Ilokano ken Ingles, "Umayka Manen, Ganggannaet/Come Again, Stranger."


photo captions: clockwise, singapore, las vegas, singapore, singapore

Conjugal Subterfuge

It appears that the conjugal liars are making all kinds of scenarios: fake ambush, fake death, fake health certificate.

Somebody up North, who was his fellow Rotarian, has claimed that the husband is really corrupt.

I sympathize with the Little Woman only because she has a drop of Ilocano blood--her forbears came from somewhere in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte. I heard her once speaking in Ilocano during a campaign rally in San Fernando City, La Union. She worked her speech/oratory.

During the Magdalo siege at Oakwood, I was rooting for her.

DepEd issues guidelines for mother tongue teaching

DepEd issues guidelines for mother tongue teaching

The use of the mother tongue has been found effective in the grades in Kalinga in Amianan. The language policy on teaching medium which favors Tagalog in all levels in the entire country should now be a thing of the past.





Photo caption: School children of the Oscariz Elementary School in Oscariz, Ramon, Isabela do their oath during the morning flag-raising ceremony.

Journal of December 1, 2011

BLESSINGS

The networks and the newspapers like the Philippine Daily Inquirer are counting the days before Christmas. I count my blessings-- health which has given me the luxury of this ripe old age and counting more years before crossing the Great Divide. No house built by the salaried man, no cars, no land purchased, a little pension fund, a lot of books, journals and magazines to consist a small library, 8 sons all living, the first-born more than 40 years of age, 21 grandchildren. Still, I dream of winning the Lotto, which will give us the means to embark on a tour around the world or a cruise on board the most luxurious ship in the world. And do a lot of charity work, scholarship for economically-deprived kids.

It's 1:09 am on my laptop, have been here since 11: 30pm when I woke up, roused from sleep by TV my wife has opened when she came into the room from downstairs. Have to sign off and continue sleeping. Thank you, O Lord of Hosts, for these extra minutes and hours, and days and months and more years.

Photo captions: My laptop and books in my getaway at the ancestral home in Laoag, the gate to the Universal Studios in Sentossa, Singapore through a gnarled tree. Kayanga (gumamela) in Raul-Emmanuel's garden. My apoko SLU Baguio poster girl Margarita Denden Julian. Jeric-Israel Julian's medals as most outstanding student of the Paloma Valley High School in CA.